Move Over, Hoover — Shortly after Thanksgiving I had dinner in California with Ronald Reagan's best biographer, Lou Cannon. Like many historians these days, we discussed whether George W. Bush is, conceivably, the worst U.S. president ever. Cannon bristled at the idea.

Say no to AP's shoddy work — When a company defrauds its customers, or delivers shoddy goods, the customers sooner or later are going to take their business elsewhere. But if that company has a virtual monopoly, and offers something its customers must have, they may have no choice but to keep taking it.

Brave New World — The pajama-clad ranks of conservative bloggers are officially here as effective media watchdogs, having forced Dan Rather's retirement; having forced Reuters and other news agencies to come to terms with the propaganda they were shilling for terrorists in Lebanon …

The Meaning Of Rumsfeld's Leak — Many bloggers have written about the leaked Rumsfeld memo published by the New York Times on Friday and confirmed by the Pentagon later the same day, but no one has a better political analysis than Andy McCarthy at NRO's The Corner.

New on the Web: Politics as Usual — THE Netroots. " "People Power. " "Crashing the Gate. " The lingo of liberal Web bloggers bespeaks contempt for the political establishment. The same disdain is apparent among many bloggers on the right, who argued passionately for a change …

Democrats Face a Tough Job, Leader Says — The Democratic National Committee chairman, Howard Dean, warned party leaders on Saturday not to revel too long in the victories from last month's midterm elections or treat their Congressional majorities as a permanent directive from voters.

Russian Ex-Spy Lived in a World of Deceptions — The tangled tale of Alexander V. Litvinenko, the maverick Russian K.G.B. agent turned dissident who died of radiation poisoning last week, has seized the headlines recently, but its roots can be traced to a late spring evening in Moscow in 1994.

Lame-Duck Congress May Run Out the Clock — Sen. Arlen Specter (R-Pa.) wants legislation on President Bush's warrantless wiretapping program. Rep. Christopher H. Smith (R-N.J.) is sure the time has come for Congress to declare that aborted fetuses feel pain.

Canada Liberals spurn Ignatieff — A former Canadian minister has beaten prominent writer Michael Ignatieff in a leadership election for the country's opposition Liberal party. — Mr Ignatieff had been favourite to win the race, but was defeated by ex-Environment Minister Stephane Dion.

Mideast allies near a state of panic — U.S. leaders' visits to the region reap only warnings and worry. — WASHINGTON — President Bush and his top advisors fanned out across the troubled Middle East over the last week to showcase their diplomatic initiatives to restore strained relationships …

Politics: McCain's Ground War — The senator is calling for more boots on the ground in Iraq. Is this any way to wage a presidential campaign? — Peter Spaulding was John McCain's man in New Hampshire, and with good reason. The longest-serving member of the state's Executive Council …

Plan to Retire but Leave Out Social Security — USUALLY I do little more than skim my Social Security statement — the four-page folded newsletter that arrives periodically with updates about my benefits. — This time I read the whole thing, starting with the opening letter from Jo Anne B. Barnhart …

Polonium, $22.50 Plus Tax — THE trail of clues in the mysterious death of Alexander V. Litvinenko may lead to Moscow, as the former spy claimed on his deathbed. But solving the nuclear whodunit may prove harder than Scotland Yard and many scientists at first anticipated.

Imports Spurring Push to Subsidize Produce — FRESNO COUNTY, Calif. — For decades, the fiercely independent fruit and vegetable growers of California, Florida and other states have been the only farmers in America who shunned federal subsidies, delivering produce to the tables of millions of Americans on their own.

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